Independent podcasting is where the industry's creative energy truly thrives, bringing fresh ideas and unique voices to the forefront.

The discussion around this energy takes centre stage in our conversation with Frank Racioppi, founder of Ear Worthy – a publication dedicated to championing indie podcasts in an increasingly corporate landscape. Frank shares his fascinating journey from longtime podcast listener to passionate advocate, explaining why he made the deliberate choice to focus on independent creators rather than network shows.

'It's at the independent podcasting level that there's the greatest creative energy within the industry,' Frank explains, contrasting the formulaic approach of network podcasts with the genre-defying innovation of independent creators. He reveals how removing all paywalls from his content led to a 200% increase in readership – a decision that aligned perfectly with his mission to connect listeners with exceptional indie shows they might otherwise never discover.

Sam explains more about TrueFans' new promotional features designed specifically for independent creators. With a pay-per-action model, podcasters can purchase visibility on the home page header and in category carousels, and pay only for actual engagement – views, clicks, and plays. We also unveil plans for a creator-to-creator promotion system that will enable podcasters to host promotions on their own show pages, creating revenue opportunities while helping fellow indies gain visibility.

Here's some more of what you'll hear in this episode:

• Discoverability remains a significant challenge for independent podcasters, highlighting the importance of platforms dedicated to showcasing their work
• Engagement with audiences through listener support and monetization options can positively impact independent creators' sustainability in the podcasting landscape
• Networking with other independent creators can lead to innovative collaborations and new ideas that benefit everyone involved in the podcasting community
• How to start a promotion on TrueFans
• How TrueFans promotions reporting will work
• Sam and Claire's plan for a new carousel on the TrueFans home page
• Research shows that most podcast listeners only make room for three shows in their weekly routine, emphasizing the importance of consistent publishing
• Nearly half of listeners are unwilling to give podcasts a second chance after a disappointing first impression
• What puts Claire and Sam off shows

Whether you're a seasoned podcaster or just starting out, this episode offers valuable perspective on navigating the complex landscape of independent podcast creation, promotion, and monetization.

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How can podcasting help you to establish credibility and craft an authentic personal brand?

Our guest podcaster is Christine Gritmon, host of Let's Talk About Brand.

After building "a fantastic audience of peers" who weren't hiring her for social media strategy but wanted to develop their own personal brands, Christine pivoted her focus—a decision that transformed her business.

With a journalist's curiosity she now delves into the stories behind successful personal brands, particularly fascinated by "the person before the person I see before me today."

Christine talks about how podcasting can build your reputation even when nobody's listening. "People do look at the fact that you have a podcast, even if they don't listen to it," she explains. The medium provides proof that you can engage in unscripted, intelligent conversation about your area of expertise—a powerful demonstration of knowledge that written content alone can't provide. For independent creators struggling with the feeling of "shouting into the void," this perspective offers a refreshing reframe.

The episode also introduces the concept of "value exchange" as a new framework for understanding creator–audience relationships beyond simple transactions. Through platforms like TrueFans, creators deliver content value while audiences reciprocate with both financial support (micropayments, subscriptions) and engagement (comments, sharing).

In the wider world, we touch on the Ear Worthy Awards for independent podcasters, what Spotify do with your show art, Secure RSS and three simple ways to get your podcast featured on the TrueFans home page.

Here's some of what you'll hear in this episode:

• Even when download numbers aren't impressive, having a podcast builds credibility and associates your name with your area of expertise
• Podcasting demonstrates your ability to have intelligent, unscripted conversations that showcase your knowledge
• Podcasting offers creative freedom that allows creators to experiment and evolve their content according to their own vision
• Using tools like Descript can streamline the editing process while preserving the natural character of conversations
• Sam introduces the concept of "value exchange" to frame TrueFans as a platform where creators deliver content value and fans reciprocate with both tangible and intangible support
• New industry developments include Spotify's shift to 16:9 cover art and Secure RSS technology for combined premium and freemium podcast content
• Independent podcasters can now purchase featured placements on the TrueFans home page
• The Ear Worthy Awards nominees for indie podcasters have been announced

Discover how podcasting offers unparalleled creative freedom while building your professional credibility, and learn about new opportunities for independent creators to boost their visibility through TrueFans' featured placements.

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Your digital world is uniquely yours – a personalized reality shaped by the mysterious forces of algorithms that decide what you see online. But have you ever wondered why your feed looks nothing like your friend's, despite similar interests?

Matt Watts' fascinating podcast Watts On Your Screen explores this digital divergence through conversations with people navigating their own algorithmic experiences.

For independent creators like Matt, platforms supporting Podcasting 2.0 features offer exciting possibilities. The discussion explores how features like chapters, transcripts, comments, and the upcoming Alternate Enclosure tag for video create richer listening experiences while keeping content within the open podcasting ecosystem. We also examine publisher feeds within TrueFans that help independent creators with multiple shows increase discoverability without sacrificing their independence.

Also discussed in this episode:

• What is an independent creator? Claire shares her criteria.
• How podcasters can use the Podroll feature and Publisher Feeds to aid discovery.
• What is the Alternate Enclosure and how can it be used?
• What does Podcast Standards Project certification actually mean?
• Wider support for the Funding tag.

What strange rabbit holes has your algorithm sent you down? We'd love to know what unique content appears on your screen that others might never see. Share your experiences in the comments on TrueFans.

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Highlighting the ways independent creators can connect with audiences and potentially monetize their work while maintaining creative control, join us this week for inspiration and practical guidance for envisioning – and manifesting – your creative potential over the next decade.

In this episode, award-winning podcaster Tricia Duffy reveals how long-term planning can transform your creative life right now.

Tricia tells Claire how her podcast, In Ten Years Time: How to Live a Creative Life, grew from personal voice recordings into a research-driven show that's garnered two awards in its first year. She explains her commitment to making creativity accessible to everyone through free planning templates, rejection trackers, and other practical tools that help listeners reimagine their creative futures.

We discuss Tricia's meticulous production process – from rigorous research of psychological journals and academic studies to working with a producer who challenges her thinking. Rather than producing weekly content, she focuses on three high-quality seasonal series per year, each exploring different aspects of creative living, such as overcoming challenges, amplifying creativity, and maintaining creative momentum.

In this episode Sam and Claire also explore practical aspects of podcast monetization, with Sam highlighting how Podcasting 2.0 features in TrueFans allow for streamlined listener support and event promotion, and discuss Netflix's entry into the podcast space, contemplating what this might mean for independent creators.

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What makes a podcast valuable? Is it immediate popularity, or something deeper? "Every podcast you create will exist for many years to come," observes Clayton M. Coke of The Cashflow Show podcast, highlighting the lasting significance of podcasting as a medium that creates permanent records of our conversations and ideas.

Clayton reveals how he uses his platform to interview business owners about their successes, failures, and personal interests, but his most compelling point centres on creator compensation – why should podcasters provide their platforms as free promotional vehicles when PR teams are being paid to pitch guests? This conversation challenges the status quo and advocates for proper valuation of podcasters' work.

We also look at some of the practical aspects of the TrueFans platform, with Sam explaining how the funding tag works to create sustainable income streams for independent creators. This feature allows listeners to set monthly budgets that automatically distribute micropayments to their favourite podcasters with each new episode – creating a fair exchange of value between creator and audience.

In this episode Sam and Claire highlight a number of valuable resources for independent podcasters including newsletters like Eurowaves, Ear Worthy, and Podnews.

We also spotlight AMPD Studios in Cape Town, South Africa – a remarkable free podcasting hub founded by Jon Savage that provides recording facilities, equipment, and support to podcasters of all experience levels. This community-focused initiative now faces potential closure after losing a major sponsor, highlighting both the power and fragility of creator support systems.

Whether you're a seasoned podcaster or just getting started, this episode offers insights into creating lasting content while building sustainable creator-audience relationships.

This episode discusses:

• Why podcasters should be paid for their work, especially when providing promotional value to guests
• The funding tag and the TrueFans support mechanism that allows podcasters to receive micropayments from listeners
• How comments and feedback create meaningful connections between podcasters and listeners
• The podcast blogs and newsletters — such as Eurowaves, Ear Worthy, and Podnews – that provide valuable industry resources
• Other useful podcasting resources, including The Future of Podcasting and podcasting2.org, that help creators understand and implement Podcasting 2.0 features
• AMPD Studios in South Africa offers free recording facilities for podcasters but needs financial support

Ready to support independent creators? Download the TrueFans app today and start streaming value directly to the podcasts you love.

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The true cost of quality storytelling.

In this episode, Claire chats with Fariba Nawa, the award-winning investigative journalist behind the On Spec podcast.

Fariba trains journalists worldwide to tell the stories they are personally connected to through sound, ultimately producing documentary journalism that rivals that of major broadcasters.

Since launching in 2019 with Kickstarter funding, On Spec has evolved through six seasons, each with a distinct theme, including disinformation, how borders define us, and a two-year investigation into Iran's targeting of dissidents abroad. The On Spec production process involves extensive collaboration with local journalists, providing them professional development while ensuring stories maintain deep personal connections to the communities they portray.

Meanwhile, the podcasting landscape continues to evolve toward more direct creator support. TrueFans features make it easy for listeners to financially support creators with one-off or continued payments, and offer creators options to divide those payments among their contributors with payment splits – allowing teams like On Spec's to automatically divide listener contribution among hosts, producers, and contributors.

Plus, as the industry debates moving content behind paywalls, what does this mean for accessibility, discovery and sustainability?

This episode discusses:

• Funding options for podcasters: from grants and individual donors to listener support
• TrueFans will soon launch as a native iOS and Android app
• How to use payment splits to automatically divide listener payments among team members
• What do paywalls mean for advertisers, and does secure RSS offer a more favourable option for independent creators?
• Spotify now supports transcripts from the Podcasting 2.0 standard
• Who Claire met and which indie podcasts won at the International Women's Podcast Awards
• How TrueFans showcases independent creators on the app's home page

Discover how TrueFans can help your independent podcast thrive through improved discovery, direct monetization, and enhanced listener engagement.

And if you'd like to chat with us about your independent podcast or music, send a comment or super comment in TrueFans to any Creators episode by clicking on the speech bubble icon or on the comments tab.

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The lived experience of independent podcasters is one of both liberating freedom and unique challenges. How can the TrueFans listening platform address those challenges and help indie creators keep creating?

Through an interview with Joana PR Neves, host of Exhibitionistas podcast, and conversations between Sam and Claire, this episode of Creators discusses:

• The power of podcasting to give voice to independent creators who might otherwise go unheard
• How asking for financial support for your podcast can meet listener resistance
• TrueFans features that help creators earn directly from listeners through streaming payments
• The challenges of describing visual experiences in an audio format
• How chapters and image attachments can enhance the listener experience
• Recent research that shows that audio-first platforms still dominate despite YouTube's growing presence
• How to claim your show and start earning on TrueFans
• The independent podcasts shortlisted for the International Women's Podcast Awards
• The incredible diversity of content being shared by independent podcasts
• An indie podcast wins at the True Crime Awards

Discover how TrueFans can help your independent podcast thrive through improved discovery, direct monetization, and enhanced listener engagement.

And if you'd like to chat with us about your independent podcast or music, send a comment or super comment in TrueFans to any Creators episode by clicking on the speech bubble icon or on the comments tab.

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Claire and Sam announce a brief hiatus until June 16th, sharing podcast recommendations and answering listener questions about the TrueFans platform to tide listeners over during the break.

• Claire recommends "Conning the Con" by Sarah Ferris, a true crime podcast about a family turning the tables on a con man

• Sam suggests "The Snap," featuring two Nashville artists navigating Bitcoin and value for value to monetize their music

• Sam explains how to add TrueFans to your phone's home screen using the browser's "share" function

• We reiterate that streaming sats to unclaimed shows is worthwhile as funds are held until creators claim their profiles

• We hear what our listeners have been telling us this week

• As usual we invite independent podcasters to be featured on the show by sending comments through TrueFans.

Want to support the show or get featured? Simply leave a comment or super comment through TrueFans, and join this growing community of forward-thinking creators and their supporters.

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